Following the success of its Mars probe “Hope”, the UAE Space Agency has announced a plan to launch a probe to the asteroid belt by 2028. Known as the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt (EMA), from 2030 onwards it will study six asteroids on its way to a final one, the 50 km diameter red “260” Justitia, reaching it in 2034. Justitia is thought to contain organic compounds called tholins, which give its colour.
While EMA is the name of the mission, the two-metric-ton spacecraft will be called MBR Explorer after the UAE Prime Minister and royal head of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The UAE Space Agency has received plaudits for its employment of female engineers in its programme. Nevertheless, Sheikh Mohammed remains a controversial figure after revelations about the poor treatment of women in his own family.
Artist’s impression of MBR Explorer spacecraft on the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid belt (EMA). Courtesy: UAE Space Agency
